Process and apparatus for constructing foundations and setting prefabricated buildings thereon

ABSTRACT

A prefabricated building is provided with a plurality of vertically extending guides located about its periphery. In each of the guides is a rotatable and vertically movable column. The building is carried to the site and while still on the transport vehicle an earth auger is attached to the support members, power is applied and foundation holes are drilled under each of the vertical guides. The auger is removed and permanent load supporting members are installed on the lower ends of the columns, the building is slightly raised, the vehicle removed, and the building is lowered down onto collars which are made fast to the columns, thus supporting the building. The foundation holes are then filled with cement.

United States Patent [1 1 Kirkes 1 1 Feb. 5, 1974 [76] Inventor: William O. Kirkes, 1052 Sharp Dr.,

Birmingham, Ala. 35235 [22] Filed: Nov. 17, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 199,577

[52] US. Cl 52/169, 52/173, 52/274, 52/742 [51] Int. Cl. E04c 3/00, E02d 27/00 [58] Field of Search..... 52/173, 157, 742, 274, 294, 52/297, 298, 126, 123, 127, 298, 169; 173/22, 23; 175/9 3,004,612 10/1961 Kofahl 175/9 90,611 5/1969 Unger 52/298 900,517 10/1908 Glover 52/298 Primary ExaminerHenry C. Sutherland Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Jennings, Carter & Thompson l 5 7] ABSTRACT A prefabricated building is provided with a plurality of vertically extending guides located about its periphery. In each of the guides is a rotatable and vertically movable column. The building is carried to the site and while still on the transport vehicle an earth auger is attached to the support members, power is applied and foundation holes are drilled under each of the vertical guides. The auger is removed and permanent load supporting members are installed on the lower ends of the columns, the building is slightly raised, the vehicle removed, and the building is lowered down onto collars which are made fast to the columns, thus supporting the building. The foundation holes are then filled with cement.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3,789,559

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W/N/am 0. K/r/(es Patented Feb. 5, 1974 I 3,789,559

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIUR. W////am O. K/rK es PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING FOUNDATIONS AND SETTING PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS THEREON My invention relates to a process and apparatus for constructing foundations for prefabricated buildings and setting prefabricated buildings on such foundations.

Briefly, my invention comprises providing a prefabricated building, at spaced locations about its periphery, with a plurality of vertically disposed tubular guide members which in practice may be lengths of pipe. These are installed in the building at the factory. The building is now carried to the site on a lowboy trailer or the like. Upon reaching the site the building is properly located on the lot, whereupon an earth auger is attached non-rotatably adjacent the lower end of the columns which are slidably and rotatably mounted in the tubes or guides carried by the building. Power is applied to rotate the columns, whereupon a foundation hole is drilled beneath each of the guide members. The earth auger is removed whereupon load carrying members or feet are attached to each of the columns, these preferably being in the form of a lower perforated plate and an upper plate, the two being connected by spaced apart peripheral members. When all the foundation holes have been prepared and all of the supporting members are in place, the building is slightly raised, the vehicle is removed from beneath the same and the building is then lowered, in a level position, whereupon pins are placed through sleeves secured beneath the building and the columns, thus to support the building. Concrete is now poured into the foundation holes, covering and filling between the two plates which form the load bearing structure, thus completing the foundation.

In view of the foregoing an object of my invention is to provide a process for constructing the foundations of prefabricated buildings which comprises bringing the building into position over the site, and then using guide members carried by the building for the purpose of drilling foundation holes beneath each of the guide members, and thereafter supporting the building on load bearing members which are attached adjacent the lower ends of the columns.

Another object is to provide a system of the character indicated in which the prefabricated building, during its construction, is provided with the said plurality of tubular guide members and in which the columns, upon arriving at the site, may be lowered, equipped with augers, power driven to provide the foundation holes, again raised to remove the augers therefrom to permit placement ofa load bearing footing member, all these operations being carried out while the building is still located on the vehicle which transported it to the site. With all the foundation holes drilled and after removing the vehicle the house is lowered maintaining it level and is locked in place by passing a fastener in the form of a pin or the like through the columns and collars carried by the building. Concrete may now be poured to fill the holes, thus completing the foundation work.

My improved process is illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings and description and my improved apparatus suitable for carrying out my improved process is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a small scale plan view of a prefabricated building incorporating my invention in position on a lowboy trailer or the like;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical view, partly broken away and in section, and illustrating the first operation of drilling the foundation holes;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2, but showing one of the columns supporting the building with the load bearing member in place and concrete poured into the foundation hole;

H6. 4 is an enlarged detail fragmental view taken generally along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one of the load supporting members which rests inthe bottom of the foundation hole; and,

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view taken generally along line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention 1 illustrate at 10 a prefabricated building which has been constructed at a plant or otherwise and which is resting on a lowboy trailer indicated at 11 and which may be connected to a towing vehicle 12.

The building itself may be of wooden construction and may comprise the vertical frame members 13, a top plate 14 and the lower, supporting framework 16. This framework may be in the form of two by ten timbers, forming a peripheral and cross-braced sub-floor systern. The building may be finished on its exterior with siding or the like indicated at 15.

In the corners of the building and at intervals along its sides and perhaps in its ends, and completely enclosed within the walls, 1 provide a plurality of vertically disposed guide members 17. These members may be in the form of pipes, for instance, three inches internal diameter when erecting modular buildings of average size. The guide members as stated are located wholly within the confines of the walls of the building so that they are not visible when the building is sheathed on the outside and provided with inside wall covering, not shown.

Mounted in each of the guide members 17 is a pipelike supporting column 18. The members 18 are slidably and rotatably mounted in the sleeves 17.

In setting a building on a chosen site, the vehicle 11 is moved into position so that the building is properly located relative to the lot. The building is now leveled by jack means, not shown, which may be a part of the vehicle ll. While still supported on the vehicle as shown in FIG. 2 an earth auger 19 is non-rotatably connected to the column 18 as by passing a pin 21 through a hub of the auger and through the member 18. A lead or point drill 22 may be secured by means of a through pin 23 in the lower end of the member 18.

With the building resting on the trailer 11, the member 18 is now rotated as for instance by connecting thereto a pulley 24 by means of a pin 26 passing through member 18. Passing over the pulley is a belt 27 leading to a source of power 28. l have shown the source of power somewhat diagrammatically, but as will be understood as the member 18 is rotated the auger, point and column move downwardly, thus necessitating that the power means also move downwardly. With the member 18 being rotated the auger drills a foundation hole 29 into the ground, directly beneath the guides 17. When the hole is completed the column 18 is moved upwardly and the point 22 and auger are removed. Then, my improved load bearing unit indicated generally by the numeral 31 is fastened to the column by means of a pin 32. The column is now lowered to the position shown in FIG. 3 so that the lower plate 33 of the member 31 rests in the bottom of the hole 29.

Describing the unit 31 more in detail, the lower plate 33 preferably is a fairly heavy perforated plate while the upper member 34 may be a solid disc. The two members are joined by spaced apart members 36 which are welded to the peripheries of the respective members 33 and 34 as illustrated. I

Located beneath the sub-framework 16, in line with each of the members 17 are flanged sleeves 37 which may be secured beneath the framework 16 by screws 7 or the like 38. These sleeve members 37 slidably receive the columns 18.

When all of the foundation holes 29 have been drilled, all of the units 31 have been secured to their respectivecolumns 18 and with the plate 33 resting in the bottoms of the holes 29, the building is jacked up by means, not shown, sufficient to permit the trailer 11 to be pulled from beneath the building. The building is now lowered, sliding on all of the members 18 maintaining it level, whereupon pins 39 are passed through the sleeve portions of the members 37 and the columns 18, therebysupporting the building on the columns. Due to the construction of the units 31, the required inspection of the footings may be made after. the building is setfAfter inspection of the footings concrete indicated'at 41 is poured into the foundation openings, filling between the plates 33 and 34, thus affording a firm, wide area load bearing surface beneath each of the columns 18.

From the foregoing the method of carrying out my improved process and the mechanical detailsof my improved apparatus will be readily understood. it will be seen that the guides 17 can in effect be built into the building during construction and that the flanged guide members 37 may be installed at the plant. While being transported to the job the columns 18 may be pushed substantially up into the members 17 and held there by means of a pinsuch as 39.

With the house properly located on the lot and leveled, the operations aforesaid are carried out, namely, the holes are drilled by means of the auger 19, the auger is removed and replacedwith the members 31. The vehicle 1 l is now removed whereupon the building is lowered, to a level position, and the pins 39 inserted, thereby supporting the house in proper manner on the columns 18.

While not illustrated in the drawings the vehicle 11 may be provided with a power actuated load carrying deck incorporating means for leveling the same. If such a vehicle is used, after the foundations are prepared, the building may simply be lowered, the pins 39 put in place, and the bed further lowered to permit the trailer to be withdrawn.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a apparatus for constructing foundations and setting a prefabricated building thereon,

a a plurality of vertically disposed guide members carried by the building to be set and spaced about the periphery of the building,

b vertically disposed supporting columns slidably and rotatably mounted in said guides,

c earth augers removably and non-rotatably secured to the columns adjacent the lower ends thereof,

d means to rotate the columns while journaled in the guides, whereby with the building supported in position over the erection site foundation holes may be drilled into the earth beneath each of the guides,

e load bearing supporting members disposed for con nection to the columns in place of the au'gers and disposed to rest in the bottoms of the holes drilled by the augers, and

f means to secure the columns to the building, whereby the building may be brought into position over the erection site, the foundation holes excavated and the load bearing members substituted for the augers, thus to support the building.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the load bearing supporting members comprise a lower, ground engaging, perforated plate, an upper plate member spaced above the ground engaging plate and secured to the column, and members interconnecting the upper and lower plates, whereby, when concrete or the like is poured into the hole after the members are in place both of the plates in said connecting members become embedded therein, thus to provide concrete foundations for the building.

3. The process erecting a building on a foundation comprising,

a supporting the building over the site on which it is to be located,

b drilling a plurality of foundation holes about the periphery of the building by means of augers carried by a plurality of vertical columns while said columns are rotatably and slidably guided by the building,

c removing the augers from the columns and securing adjacent the lower ends thereof load bearing members which rest in the bottoms of the foundation holes,

d lowering the building by sliding it down said columns, and

e securing the building to the columns in substantially level position, thus to support the building from the columns.

4. The process of claim 3 which comprises the further step of filling the openings thus provided with cementious material, thus to stabilize and encapsulate the load bearing members. 

1. In a apparatus for constructing foundations and setting a prefabricated building thereon, a a plurality of vertically disposed guide members carried by the building to be set and spaced about the periphery of the building, b vertically disposed supporting columns slidably and rotatably mounted in said guides, c earth augers removably and non-rotatably secured to the columns adjacent the lower ends thereof, d means to rotate the columns while journaled in the guides, whereby with the building supported in position over the erection site foundation holes may be drilled into the earth beneath each of the guides, e load bearing supporting members disposed for connection to the columns in place of the augers and disposed to rest in the bottoms of the holes drilled by the augers, and f means to secure the columns to the building, whereby the building may be brought into position over the erection site, the foundation holes excavated and the load bearing members substituted for the augers, thus to support the building.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the load bearing supporting members comprise a lower, ground engaging, perforated plate, an upper plate member spaced above the ground engaging plate and secured to the column, and members interconnecting the upper and lower plates, whereby, when concrete or the like is poured into the hole after the members are in place both of the plates in said connecting members become embedded therein, thus to provide concrete foundations for the building.
 3. The process erecting a building on a foundation comprising, a supporting the building over the site on which it is to be located, b drilling a plurality of foundation holes about the periphery of the building by means of augers carried by a plurality of vertical columns while said columns are rotatably and slidably guided by the building, c removing the augers from the columns and securing adjacent the lower ends thereof load bearing members which rest in the bottoms of the foundation holes, d lowering the building by sliding it down said columns, and e securing the building to the columns in substantially level position, thus to support the building from the columns.
 4. The process of claim 3 which comprises the further step of filling the openings thus provided with cementious material, thus to stabilize and encapsulate the load bearing members. 